Week # 13 – Bollywood in Hollywood – 05 Jul to 11 Jul 08

Had some excellent Masala Dosa breakfast complete with small onion sambhar and coconut chutney.Then went to Fremont alongwith Saroj ,to see a Hindi movie in Naaz theatre, running Hindi films three shows a day .This theatre also is a multiplex having 6 screens and in all of them Hindi movies are running ! Amazing. The theatre was a typical Indian theater serving Samosa and Indian style tea !Sai tells me that there are over 20 theatres all over the US screening Hindi movies and that there is a theatre which shows only South Indian films in San Francisco ! Surprising indeed. Could not believe it. He further tells me that all new pictures are released simultaneously in India as well as in the US. And that if the film does not make money in the US then it is a flop.

This should not come as a surprise to us back home because, Indians have a sizeable presence in the US. As per the Department of Immigration of USA, our country had the second maximum number of immigrants who were granted citizenship of the US in 2007.The first was Mexico (19%), second India (7%), third Philippines (6%) followed by China (5 %) and Vietnam (4 %). Till the 1970s maximum number of Europeans migrated to the US to settle down here but since the past three decades or so it is Asia's turn!

And these statistics do not include the number of Indians who are second and third generation Indians who are already citizens of the US .Other Indians who are not included are those who keep coming here on various assignments on behalf of Indian Companies or students or those who come on business trips and go back to India after completion of their assignments. No wonder Barrack Obama talks about the potential threat of Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Beijing overtaking the US economy if the Americans do not pull up their socks.

In Naaz theatre we saw the newly released film "Jaane tu Jane naa",with English subtitles for an American audience . It is an Aamir Khan film in which he introduces his sister's son Imran Khan to the film industry.The film is about a group of college going youngsters who always move together as a gang as they like each other's company. The film revolves around the lead couple Imran and a famous Telugu actress Jenila D'souza.

They like each other and everybody including the parents of the girl and the mother of the boy thinks that they are made for each other and love each other .But they themselves do not realise that they love each other and in their innocence set out to find a suitable match for each other. There is no solid story line but the racy script and the excellent dialogue makes the film a rip roaring comedy. The film ends up with how they ultimately realise that it is they who are in love with each other and did not realise it at all.

The direction is slick and the performances very good. Naseeruddin Shah as the dead father of the boy, who keeps speaking out of his life sized photo to Ratna Pathak Shah his wife and mother of Imran is absolutely hilarious .Ratna is a seasoned actress and is superb. Paresh Rawal as the Police Inspector and Shahbaz khan and Arbaaz Khan as the horse riders are simply outrageously funny .The film,a rip roaring comedy , is an absolute "must see" especially if you are fed up with the Masala movies which are doing the rounds in the Bollywood film industry. Although Rahman is the music director the music is low key and does not overshadow the film as Rahman's music generally does.

After the movie ,we went to "Viks" an Indian restaurant and had Chat,Aloo tikki ,Papdi chat, Bhelpuri and Gajar Halwa and some good hot elaichi tea. Incidentally there are more than 100 Indian restaurants in the Bay Area.We also purchased Sona masuri rice and Atta from an Indian store nearby .Saroj left the same night for Minnesota .Sai went to drop her at the SFO airport.

A Reality Show is appearing every week on the American TV, which is a test of dancing skills of youngsters ,both boys and girls. The title of the Reality show is "So you think you can dance".Quite interesting and a very popular programme.Just like the "American Idol"- a couple is getting eliminated every week . Whenever possible we see the show which comes every Wednesday.The competions are being conducted in Hollywood and a wide variety of dances include Hip Hop,Salsa,Twist,Cha Cha Cha,Waltz, Mexican - name it and you have the dance form .But we were really surprised to see one couple performing a dance on one of the songs of the film "Om Shanti Om".The judges were ecstatic in their approval of the Indian dance form . They really thoroughly enjoyed the dance It just goes to prove how much Bollywood has penetrated the hearts and minds of the Americans.